Talk:5ESS Switching System

Poor paragraph structure makes this content unclear.
Under the Architecture heading: "The 5ESS runs on a Time-Space-Time (TST) topology. The Time-Slot-Interchangers (TSI) in the Switching Modules (SM), one per several hundred to few thousand telephone lines or several hundred trunks or mixture thereof, sport their own processors, which perform most call handling processes, using their own memory boards. Originally the peripheral processors were to be Intel 8086, but those proved inadequate and the system was introduced with Motorola 68000 series processors. The name of the cabinet that houses this equipment was changed at the same time from Interface Module to Switching Module."

This paragraph provides several facts: 5ESS runs on TST topography; TSI serves several trunks or many telephone lines; And (thanks to a run-on sentence), I know that TSI have their own memory and processors. However, without a connection between the 5ESS and the TSI or SM, I really can't put this information together. Further, when extraneus information is provided, it would help to understand the significance (e.g., TSI have internal processors and memory that exceed the power of 8086 processors--and this is important because...).

This information is interesting but these disconnected facts need glue to bind them together. I'd help if I could, but this is new to me. I had hoped to use this content as background for training about NAVIS. —Preceding unsigned comment added by WhidbeyTomas (talk • contribs) 21:40, 22 July 2008 (UTC)


 * Done, at least partly, I hope. Thanks for the precise criticism.  I doubt my little improvements finished the job, and would appreciate further help in identifying problems.  Jim.henderson (talk) 21:08, 28 July 2008 (UTC)


 * I still see some misplaced or out-of-order content, particularly in the introduction - the majority of the introduction is about the modules (I am not familiar with the hardware in particular), listing three types that make up the switch and their composition and purpose. Each are expounded upon below, but the introduction seems to jump around. It also discusses power requirements, which seems somewhat out of place, except for the fact that power is not discussed further at any other point in the section or article, and the introduction would be appropriate if that was all there was to say. Paulmnguyen (talk) 03:23, 21 July 2010 (UTC)

Copy edit #Architecture
Jim, thanks for pulling the copyedit-section tag from Architecture section. I think that the section could use some work as far as getting the content a little more balanced for each of the modules listed (Switching, Administrative, Communication). With more balanced content here, it would be ready for a review by a copyeditor. Maybe there does not need to be further additions to that section, but at a glance, the amount of content there seems to diminish exponentially. In any case, I can make some copyedits. Let me know what you think. Anyone else, please chime in. Paulmnguyen (talk) 02:02, 12 September 2010 (UTC)
 * Exponential, roughly speaking, with a base of 2 or 3. Yes, that reflects how much I know, which in turn reflects how often I had to repair them.  As this experience recedes in my memory, I may forget some of the details but expect to see the system in broader perspective.  And maybe I'll find some paperwork when the coming cool weather keeps me indoors in daytime more often.  Meanwhile, sure; there must be several places where I'm failing to see bad prose that will be obvious to others.  Jim.henderson (talk) 16:51, 15 September 2010 (UTC)

5ESS variants and modules
This link http://www.scribd.com/doc/20938555/Switch-Basics-5ESS provides a list of various modules not mentioned in the WP article. It also mentions some variants of 5ESS providing trunk, local, SS7/C7 signalling transfer point, IN SSP, mobile (MSC) and operator services (OSPS). John a s (talk) 22:46, 31 May 2012 (UTC)
 * While it is a little out of date, there is good information at your Scribd link that could be used to expand the article here on Wikipedia. That said, what we already have here on Wiki is in fact complete in terms of describing the basic architecture (AM/CM/SM).  Belchfire (talk) 06:29, 3 June 2012 (UTC)


 * I did a lot of the PCM highway switching and conferencing chip software on the first iterations of the 5ESS way back when back when dinosaurs roamed the Earth, or so it feels like. The article here lacks a great deal of technical details about the early variants, including the wire-wrapped prototypes that we pressed in to the field in Danver for trials, none of which is mentioned in the article.
 * Point being the article lacks a great deal of information about a lot of things involving the development of the product. Truth be told, it makes me feel old. I remember when the 68020 was being considered for much of the processing while we awaited the release of the 68302 CPU which Motorola was taking its time producing (and when they did, Motorola released it with known flaws in their on-board scripts.)
 * The 5ESS and the DMS-100 would interoperate in ISDN framing, I.430, Q.921, Q.931/932 and the rest butthere were minor differences of opinion in the interpretation of the specifications for timing and sequence of events for some things, so when I was developing TAs for ISDN for another company, I could always tell which of my produces I was talking to. Damotclese (talk) 22:58, 12 August 2013 (UTC)